India’s moves not conducive to peace and tranquility at border, says Chinese Foreign Ministry

Beijing [China], March 9 (ANI): In a stern reply to India amid the diplomatic standoff between the two nations, China has said that deploying more troops at the border would not ease tensions. It said that it is committed to upholding peace and tranquility in the border areas.

While addressing a regular press briefing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said, “India’s move of strengthening military deployment along the border with China is counterproductive to the two countries’ efforts to ease the situation at the border and not conducive to safeguarding peace and tranquility of the border areas.”

Beijing’s reply came in response to Bloomberg’s question on the latest reports that state India has stationed 10,000 new troops along the border with China.

Speaking further, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that New Delhi’s actions are not “conducive” to peace and tranquility at the border.

Mao Ning said, “China is always committed to upholding peace and tranquility in the border areas. India’s moves are not conducive to peace and tranquility at the border and do not conform with common understandings reached by China and India on deescalating tensions in the border areas.”

India and China have been locked in a military stand-off for nearly four years after the confrontations at friction points in eastern Ladakh in 2020.

Meanwhile, in February this year, India and China held the 21st round Corps Commander level meeting at the Chushul-Moldo border to defuse tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

“The 21st round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on 19th February 2024. The discussions built on the previous rounds, seeking complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh as an essential basis for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas,” the official statement read.

The two sides also shared their perspectives on this in the talks held in a friendly and cordinal atmosphere.

“The two sides have agreed to maintain communication on the way ahead through the relevant military and diplomatic mechanisms. They also committed to maintain peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas in the interim,” statement added.